A hydrocarbon well may be utilized to produce one or more reservoir fluids, such as liquid and/or gaseous hydrocarbons, from a subterranean formation. The hydrocarbon well may include a wellbore that extends between a surface region and the subterranean formation and a production casing that extends within the wellbore and defines a casing conduit.
During construction and/or operation of the hydrocarbon well, it may be desirable to temporarily and fluidly isolate an uphole portion of the casing conduit from a downhole portion of the casing conduit, such as to occlude, restrict, and/or block fluid flow, or fluid communication, between the respective portions of the casing conduit. Historically, this fluid isolation has been accomplished by locating a discrete downhole sealing device, such as a plug, bridge plug, swellable plug, and/or packer, within a target portion of the casing conduit. The discrete downhole sealing device is constructed from one or more solid materials and is typically located within the casing conduit by flowing from the surface region to the target portion of the casing conduit.
Often, a downhole assembly must be removed from the casing conduit prior to locating the discrete downhole sealing device therein, such as to provide clearance for the discrete downhole sealing device to flow to the target portion of the casing conduit. In addition, and subsequent to the temporary fluid isolation, it may be necessary to remove the discrete downhole sealing device from the casing conduit. Removal of the downhole assembly from the casing conduit and/or removal of the discrete downhole sealing device from the casing conduit may be time-consuming and expensive processes that increase the overall cost of construction and/or operation of the hydrocarbon well. Thus, there exists a need for improved downhole sealing devices.